Foot support



J. T. POSEY June 23, 1959 FOOT SUPPORT Filed Nov. 5, 1956 Mul raw '1 1 INVENTOR. JOHN 7'. P055) awn Maw A T TOR/VEYS United 4 States Patent FOOT SUPPORT John T.Posey, Altadena, Calif.

; Application November 5, 1956, Serial No. 620,233

5 Claims. c1. 5-417 The invention relates to foot supports for beds to which a patient may be confined for long periods of time.

Persons spending most or all of their time in bed during extended periods of illness or convalescence exper ence gradual weakening of all the major muscles of their bodies due to disuse. When the nature of the illness constrains a person to a supine position, even those muscles which hold the feet erect become too weak to do so.

Devices .to alleviate this condition have been used with little or indifferent success. Conventional devices used for this purpose go no further than to relieve the feet of the invalid from the burden of supporting the bed covers. I have invented a device which is easily installed and adequately supports the feet of an invalid bed user. A foot support in accordance with the invention comprises support members that are adjustable along opposite sides of the bed and means for clamping at least one of the support members to the mattress upon which the user lies. A panel member connects between the support members. The panel member traverses the upper surface of the mattress beneath the bed covers. Since the width of beds varies, it is desirable to have a panel member capable of spanning various distances between the support members.

An invalid or patient is most comfortable when his feet are not burdened by the bed covers and are further supported to relieve overburdened weak muscles. Therefore, a preferred form of the the invention combines a foot support with a leg cradle holding the bed covers away from the patients feet.

A patients comfort may dictate a panel member having variable rigidity. Therefore, it is preferable to have adjustable means connecting the panel member to the support members. In preferred embodiment the support members form a part of the leg cradle. This combination results in a simple structure capable of performing both functions. These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and drawing of a preferred embodiment of the invention in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective an embodiment of the invention having a flexible panel member; and

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of an embodiment of the invention having a rigid panel member.

Fig. 1 illustrates a foot support 11 in place near the end of a bed mattress 12. The bed mattress is shown in phantom lines. Vertical support members 13 and 14 located adjacent opposite sides of the mattress rise from triangular bases 15 and 16, respectively. The plane of each triangular base is horizontal and the bases are positioned so that just the apex 18 of each triangle extends from beneath the mattress.

A clamp 20 having diverging arms 21, 22 extending from a multiple loop 23 is disposed about support member 13. The inside diameter of the loop is slightly larger than the outside diameter of support member 13. When the clamp is depressed against the resilient mattress, the upward thrust of the mattress cants the clamp so that it binds about the support member in the depressed position.. A like clamp 25 is disposed about support member 14. The triangular bases serve to hold the supports upright while the clamps hold the supports in one location at .theside of the mattress.

Flexible panel member 30 is connected to the support members so that it extends transversely of the mattress. Preferably, the panel member is of a durable yet washable material such as canvas. The panel member is disposed in a vertical plane between the upper surface of the mattress and the bed covers (not shown). The upper and lower edges of the panel member. are reinforced by canvas webbing straps 32 33, respectively. Each strap extends horizontally beyond the ends of the panel member in aloop 35 which encircles a support member. The free end 37 of each loop is doubled "back toward the panel member and secured thereto by a conventional web buckle 39.

Since bed mattresses vary in width, it is desirable to use relatively long loops in order to compensate for the possible change in distance between the ends of the panel member and the support members. Variations in mattress thickness make desirable means for adjusting the vertical position of the panel member with respect to the triangular bases. Therefore, the embodiment of Fig. 1 includes a horizontal bar 41 extending between the support members. A pair of belt loops 43, 45 encircle the bar and depend downwardly to the panel member. A free end 43 of each belt loop passes through a buckle 49. A plurality of vertical reinforcing tabs 51, 52, 53, 54 are sewed to the panel member in spaced relationship to each other. Inner reinforcing strips 52, 53 extend upwardly beyond the upper edge of panel member 30 and a buckle is fastened to the upper extent of each such reinforcing strip.

For easy manufacture it is preferable to fabricate the support members and the horizontal bar from a single malleable rod. In addition to affording vertical support for the panel member the horizontal bar supports such bed covers as may be used above the feet of a supine bed user.

Fig. 2 illustrates a foot support 60 having a rigid panel member 62. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2 like parts have been given the same reference characters as in the description of Fig. l.

The panel member 62 may be made of any light weight rigid material that is easily cleaned. Such materials as thin plywood, Masonite board or rigid plastics may be used. A looped belt 64 extends horizontally from each corner of the rigid panel member. An end 65 of each loop is fastened to the panel member and the free end 66 of each loop encircles a support member and doubles back to pass through a buckle 68 fastened to the panel member.

As in the embodiment of Fig. 1, the support members extend upwardly and then curve inwardly in a horizontal bar 41 which may support bed covers above the feet of a patient using the foot support. Since the panel member 62 is rigid, it needs no vertical suspension intermediate of the support member. Adjustment of the upper belt loops 64 which ride on the curving portions of the support members changes the vertical placement of the panel members.

Each of the illustrative embodiments is used similarly. The bases of the support members are inserted between the mattress and the bed in the desired location with respect to the position of the patient. Clamps 20 and 25 are then depressed against the top of the mattress and bind in place there. If necessary, the position or tension of the flexible panel member 30 of Fig. 1 may be adjusted by means of loops 35 or belt loops 43 and 45. Preferably, the soles of the patients feet rest against the face of the panel member opposite to that illustrated in Fig. 1 since that face presents a smooth surface. The panel member illustrated in Fig. 2 requires no such orientation discrimination,

10mm: "l 1.;A foots upport for a bed having a mattress and-bed covers which comprises support members adjustable along opposite sides of the bed, means for clamping at least one of the support members to the mattress at selected locations along the side of thebed, and a panel member connected between the support members to traverse the upper surface of the mattress beneath the bed covers. I 2. A foot support for a bed having a mattress and bed coverings, the support comprising vertical support members at opposite sides of the bed, adjustable clamps securing the support members to the mattress so that the support members are movable along opposite sides of the bed, a'panel member traversing the upper surface of the mattress between the support members and beneath the bed covers, a horizontal bar connecting betwen the upper portions of the support members, and means adapted to connect the panel to the support members and to the bar so that the position of the panel with respect to the mattress may be changed.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which each adjustable clamp comprises a closed loop base member fixed to the vertical support member and adapted to contact the bottom of the mattress, a multiple loop about the vertical support member and slidable thereon, and mattress contacting arms extending from the loop in diverging directions, the inside diameter of the multiple loop exceeding the thickness of the vertical support member so that the resilientthrust of the mattress cants the multiple loop into binding relationship with the vertical support member.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which the panel member is flexible.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which the panel member is substantially rigid.

References Cited in the file of this patent 0 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,919,426 Fett July 25, 1933 2,210,255 Peevey Aug. 6, 1940 2,401,999 Wolfe June 11, 1946 2,547,942 Hinton Apr. 10, 1951 2,655,668 Nelson Oct. 20, 1953 2,674,750 Moore Apr. 13, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 27,498 Great Britain Nov. 25, 1910 

